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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL 
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2007 
 
 
In Today's Papers 
 
Abducted Turkish Soldiers Return Home 
All papers report that the 8 Turkish soldiers, abducted 14 days ago 
during an attack by the PKK, were released and brought home to 
Turkey on Sunday.  Mainstream Sabah reports that the hostages were 
brought to Irbil in a motor vehicle, transferred from Irbil's Ankawa 
air-field to Mossul's Barmeri airport, and then transported by 
helicopter to Diyarbakir military base in Southern Turkey.  Iraqi 
Defense Minister Casim and the commandant of the coalition forces in 
Iraq, General Petraeus, also accompanied the soldiers to Turkey. 
Meanwhile, the Turkish General Staff web site announced that the 
soldiers re-joined the Turkish Armed Forces.  Papers also highlight 
US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack's remarks that the US 
welcomes the return of the eight soldiers to Turkey. 
 
Erdogan-Bush Summit 
All papers report that during his meeting with President Bush, Prime 
Minister Erdogan will explain Turkey's determination to take 
measures to eliminate the PKK in Northern Iraq, including the 
possibility of a cross border operation.  In addition, he will urge 
the US to take concrete steps on this issue.  Mainstream Milliyet 
notes that the US Administration, in order to convince Turkey not to 
launch a cross-border operation into Northern Iraq, intensified its 
pressure on Iraqi Government and Northern Iraqi Administration. 
Papers note that the release of the 8 kidnapped Turkish soldiers and 
the raids against the PKK offices indicate US determination just 
before Erdogan-Bush meeting.  President Bush is expected to promise 
to work with Turkey in its fight against the PKK, namely by sharing 
intelligence. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Bush-Erdogan Meeting 
 
Gungor Mengi commented in the mainstream daily Vatan (11/5):  "The 
abducted soldiers are free, which is very good news.  However the 
development of recent events related to the abduction and the 
release make us to think whether this was part of a game for the 
upcoming Bush-Erdogan meeting.  Because so far, the US has said they 
do not know the whereabouts of PKK while Northern Iraqi leaders 
claim that it was impossible to track down the PKK militants.  Yet 
both of them could made contact with PKK as the soldiers were handed 
over.  The US has been objecting to a cross border operation and now 
the administration has a good excuse since the soldiers are now 
free.  This unanswered question remains:  Did President Bush gain 
politically from the timing of this handover and/or was it, indeed, 
a staged event to help him out?" 
 
Semih Idiz commented in the mainstream Milliyet (11/5):  "Latest 
developments indicate that Iraqi Kurds are trying to put President 
Bush in a stronger position vis-`-vis PM Erdogan during the upcoming 
meeting.  Although, release of the Turkish soldiers and closure of 
the PKK offices in Northern Iraq are positive developments but 
definitely not fully satisfactory for Turkey.  Ankara considers 
these developments as having secondary importance and not convincing 
enough to prevent Turkey from launching a cross-border operation 
into Northern Iraq.  The Erdogan-Bush meeting will have a 
determining role on the issue of elimination of the PKK presence in 
the Kandil Mountains." 
 
Washington-based Ali Aslan wrote in the Islamist-leaning daily 
Zaman: "The US administration has been pressuring Turkey not to 
carry out a cross-border operation.  In return, Turkey is also 
putting pressure on Washington regarding the PKK.  Secretary Rice 
reiterated the US stance against a cross-border operation in Ankara, 
and now PM Erdogan will repeat his pressure concerning action 
against the PKK at the White House meeting.  Washington has managed 
to stall Turkey's actions on this issue so far.  However it seems 
things have changed and the US has taken the PKK issue very 
seriously, more seriously than ever before.  Turkey stood united 
with its civilian and military, which was a good signal for 
 
ANKARA 00002716  002 OF 002 
 
 
Washington to take this issue up seriously.  At this point, the US 
may arrest some of the identified members of PKK and hand them over 
to Turkey, which may work as image-saver.  If that is not possible, 
Washington will most likely not object Turkey's limited operations, 
including air bombardment of Kandil Mountain.  There is a Kurdish 
lobby in the US, which constantly advises that PKK should not be 
touched so that the stability of Northern Iraq will not be harmed. 
Nowadays this lobby is losing its influence over Washington.  Many 
Americans are now aware of the fact that the consequences of not 
touching PKK will be very dangerous and that the US will suffer from 
a potential loss in Turkish-American bilateral ties and continued 
instability in Northern Iraq." 
 
TV News: 
NTV 
 
Domestic News 
 
- Former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Erdal Inonu was 
laid to rest in Istanbul over the weekend in a funeral attended by 
thousands of people. 
 
- Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said Turkey has not yet imposed any 
electricity sanctions on Iraq. 
 
- The Turkish Bar Association has released its own alternative 
version of constitutional reforms which focuses on fundamental 
rights and freedoms. 
 
- The Turkish Parliament is to discuss this week a draft for the 
construction of nuclear power plants in the country. 
 
International News 
 
- Pakistan's President Musharraf has declared a state of emergency 
and postponed general elections slated for January. 
 
- Secretary Rice, during a visit to Tel Aviv, said that Turkey's 
fight against the PKK should not destabilize northern Iraq. 
 
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Palestinians and Israelis 
might reach an agreement before the end of President Bush's term in 
office. 
 
- Prime Minister Erdogan is to pay a formal visit to Italy on 
November 6-8 to meet President Giorgio Napolitano, Foreign Minister 
Massimo D'Alema, Parliament Speaker Fausto Bertinotti, and Senate 
Speaker Franco Marini. 
 
WILSON